Sequence of plasmid pBS228 and reconstruction of the IncP-1α phylogeny

The antibiotic resistance plasmid pBS228 has been completely sequenced, and revealed to be descended from a plasmid virtually identical to the Birmingham IncP-1α plasmid RK2/RP4/RP1. However, it has three additional transposon insertions, one of which is responsible for the extra antibiotic resistances conferred. Loss of kanamycin resistance, which is characteristic of most IncP-1α plasmids, is the result of this insertion. A second transposon causes inactivation of the mating pair formation apparatus, rendering the plasmid non-self-transmissible. Comparison with the published data for other IncP-1α plasmids gives insight into the recent evolutionary history of this group as well as the acquisition and transmission of one of the first ampicillin resistance transposons discovered.